Kialla’s St Anne’s College pledges to be Water Only

Kialla’s St Anne’s College has become the first secondary school to sign on to Goulburn Valley Water’s Water Only program, committing to choosing tap water as their drink of choice in school hours.

The school’s current Prep and Year 7 students celebrated becoming Water Only with an education session on Thursday, August 15, with games and activities highlighting the importance and benefits of choosing tap water over sugary drinks.

The Water Only program encourages workplaces to commit to only providing water at their business or organisation to help encourage people to drink more water, more often.

It also aims to raise awareness of the health, financial and environmental benefits of drinking tap water – one plastic bottle of water can have an equivalent cost as much as 3000 litres of water from the tap.

St Anne’s College Principal Dom Poppa said becoming Water Only was a great opportunity to boost students’ learning and to encourage students to make healthier choices.

“We know that drinking water can help children focus at school, so encouraging them to drink more water can help them learn better, as well as give them the energy to play,” he said.

“We’re really excited to be part of the Water Only program and we think it will have great benefits for our students.”

Goulburn Valley Water Education Officer Kristy Elrington said drinking water was important to help your body function at its best.

Some drink options, including soft drinks, iced teas and fruit juice, have more than 10 teaspoons of sugar in them – almost double the recommended added sugar intake for an adult.

“The aim of the Water Only program is to encourage the community to make smart choices about what they drink and the benefits water has for their overall health,” she said.

“We want to encourage everyone to choose tap water as their drink of choice, because our water is some of the best tasting in Victoria, and it’s so much cheaper than bottled drinks.”

More than 60 organisations, primary schools and kindergartens across the Goulburn Valley region have signed up to become Water Only since the program was launched in 2015.

To enquire about the Water Only program or becoming a participant, phone Kristy on 5832 4869 or email education@gvwater.vic.gov.au